The Power Nut- Almond

A lot of information has been published about the benefits of nuts. Let me introduce to you one of them and what I am going to tell you are about almonds.

Lets first talk about macro nutrients like proteins. Almonds are high in protein. One ounce (30g) contains 12% of our daily protein needs.

Although almonds, like all nuts, are high in fat, they are very low in saturated fat. One ounce (28 g) contains 15 g fat with only 1 g saturated. Most of the fat in almonds is monounsaturated, considered beneficial fat. 20-25 almonds (approximately one ounce) contain as much calcium as 1/4 cup of milk, a valuable tool in preventing osteoporosis. Because almonds are a plant food, they contain no cholesterol.

Almonds lower LDL (aka “bad) cholesterol, and they seem to help block the body’s absorption of both fat and carbohydrates. This has numerous implications for diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. The fiber structure of almonds may be the mechanism behind this phenomenon, and this reduces the calories available from the almonds themselves. Almonds may slow the actual absorption of the carbohydrates into the body, which means that they help to create a slower rise in blood sugar levels – and therefore help to keep insulin levels in check.

Almonds are abundant in phosphorus, which is good for bones and teeth. One ounce (28 g) contains 143 mg of phosphorus. They also contain potassium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and trace amounts of the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin.

Also, almonds (and other nuts) contain phytochemicals, which are plant chemicals that may provide powerful protection against heart disease, stroke, and other chronic diseases.

Almonds also have greater levels of satiety, that is, satisfaction or fullness from food. This may be due to the high fiber content of the almonds, and this greater satiety leads to an overall satisfaction of hunger that can help people to maintain a healthy weight.

Adding nuts (specifically, almonds) to your low-calorie diet may improve your actual weight loss. It may also enhance the effects that weight loss has on blood pressure and blood lipids according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity.

If you are pregnant, almonds can be a nutritious way of preventing certain birth defects because of their high folic acid content.

The calcium found in almonds may lower risks of colon and rectal cancers. Almonds’ fiber content may also help protect against colon cancer. The folic acid in almonds may help reduce the risk of cervical cancers.

Hence here I give you a healthy snack to munch on and see that you never remove their skin or you will lose on its fibre.

Sanjana M Shenoy is a A dietitian from Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Having worked as a Dietitian for the Manipal Group of Hospitals namely KMC hospital Mangalore, India.She is also a consultant for corporate's like Infosys and others, conducting talks and presentations for various associations and local television shows.She consults at her Diet and Nutrition clinic "Nutrihealth" in Mangalore.Also is a visiting consultant to various hospitals in and around Mangalore and also runs an active online consultation.